You need to read them both! And yes you can filter out the banter of the designers and see what the host says here!
When you do use the filter you will even see what 99Designs Staff say.

@BombardierBob If I understand you correctly, you're saying designers need to read all the comments related to a contest and cannot rely on the brief?

@99fail The Project Holder has SPECIFICALLY asked that NO STOCK IMAGES BE USED. Even 99Designs Staff mentions it
on here and yet designers fail or simply didn't care to follow what was asked of them in this contest, period!

Posted 6 days 3 Hours Ago:
"Jason Aiken 99Designs Staff
ATTENTION DESIGNERS:
The Project Holder has SPECIFICALLY asked that NO STOCK IMAGES BE USED.
So...regardless of your explanations for doing so...PLEASE RESPECT THE PROJECT HOLDER'S WISHES and follow the brief.
Cheers,
Jason"

Posted 6 Days 5 hours ago:
"Contest Holder: The Hope You Need
It is totally up to each designer if you would like to submit more than one... go for it!
As for using stock photography, if it is not yours please do NOT post it. Much of stock is rights managed and we are not looking forward to legal surprises or fees that are not anticipated."

@99fail

For the most part I would agree with all that you say but the host would have to purchase the extended license
from the site and have it on hand with printing the book. Then there is the issue that 99Designs made it clear
not to use stock/clip art period as well as the Contest Host. To call people upset that designers that violated
the rules over stock/clip art and used them in their designs is profoundly ignorant then this shows your true
colors on what is right and wrong and rules do not apply to you what so ever. This site rules are in English,
perhaps a multilingual version is needed to understood and followed period! ~Bob

caly82 , you are correct, I think this is a good idea, looks like quick fix from 99designs,, too late for this contest

has anyone entered any other contest lately? it now aks if the work work is entirely yours or if you used stock images.

Amen

Ya'll have to remember this contest was also announced on other websites not just 99 designs which is why there's alot of people who only have entered this contest dosen't mean they have anything to with the ch.

Hmmmm.... nine people with a first time participating are in the top list....
And the ten designs clearly using stock photos. Are them automatically eliminated?

I think the contest holder would be clarify to all the participants how he will manage this issue. Is true that there are more than 3,000 designs, and is not possible to give individual feedback, but spend 5-10 minutes writing general constant feedback to all the people would be helpful and is not up of the heaven.Communication matters. All the people who is participating in this contest has been motived for the high prize, plus the kind of work and the person who is holding the contest, thats why feople trust more, but also is more sensitive if the process of the contest is not totally clear and if the contest holder does not talk about the things that people dont like, everybody feel that have been cheating. Just explaining the official position of the Contest Holder will bring real trust. More than 3,000 designs and more that 800 people deserve this kind of attention.

i would have expected a lot more integrity from these folks.

As I mentioned a couple days ago- and it's still true... The majority of the 4 and 5 star designs are from people for whom this contest was their first and only entry ever on 99 Designs. Which tells me the majority of them are from his Church, or friends of the person who is running this contest.

We've been taken for a ride folks.

I would have

I am amazed at so many of the designs that portray hope the most,do not even have a single star.

@CH - please let us know even if we made it to the top 50 or top 100. Knowing that would make us feel better. :)